Florida Real Estate Sales Associate Examination Content OutlineReal Estate Property and OwnershipMedium
A buyer is interested in a property described using the Rectangular Survey System. The legal description states: 'The SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 12, Township 3 South, Range 2 East.' If one section contains 640 acres, how many acres are in this described parcel?
- A10 acres
- B40 acres
- C80 acres
- D20 acres
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. 40 acres
To calculate the acreage, start with the total acres in a section (640 acres) and divide by the denominators of the fractions in the description. 640 acres / 4 (for SE 1/4) = 160 acres. Then, 160 acres / 4 (for NW 1/4) = 40 acres.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Incorrect calculation: 640 / 4 / 4 = 40, not 10.
- C. Incorrect calculation: 640 / 4 / 4 = 40, not 80.
- D. Incorrect calculation: 640 / 4 / 4 = 40, not 20.
Rectangular Survey Acreage Calculation
To find the acreage of a parcel described by fractional parts of a section, divide 640 acres by the denominator of each fraction.
- One section = 640 acres.
- Multiply denominators of fractions together and divide 640 by the product.
- Alternatively, divide 640 sequentially by each denominator.
Memory trick: SIXTY-FOURTY is the base, divide by each fraction's PACE.